Controlling power systems that includes alternative energy sources can be difficult for several reasons.
First, unlike a coal plant, an alternative energy source (e.g., a solar park or a wind farm) is more susceptible to unpredictable events. For example, as a result of an unexpected strong wind, a wind farm in Wyoming may produce twice the electricity originally planned, and the additional electricity may cause a failure to power systems connected to the wind farm unless properly handled. In another example, due to an unforeseeable draught, a hydro-electric station at the Hoover damn may fail to supply enough energy to a nearby city, and the power shortage needs to be dealt with promptly and economically.
Second, energy production by an alternative energy source sometimes needs to be closely monitored. For example, in many arrangements between a utility provider and a utility consumer when the utility consumer is connected to the utility provider's power grid, an alternative energy source is required, legally or contractually, not to cause a reverse power flow to the power grid. This may have an undesirable or unwanted effect on the power grid, as well as on any power systems connected thereto.
Given the above background, there is clearly a need in the art for systems and methods that can regulate an alternative energy source that is decoupled from a power grid.